


Hopeful Return

by elisha_am106



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Newt came back with his book, Post FBAWTFT, Tina saw the magazine, some sort of fix-it I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:14:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23447608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elisha_am106/pseuds/elisha_am106
Summary: “Guess he isn’t coming back, is he?” Tina talked to herself with the magazine clenched in her hands, letting out a sound that’s half sigh, half humorless chuckle.She screwed her eyes shut before the tears could tumble out.
Relationships: Tina Goldstein/Newt Scamander
Comments: 1
Kudos: 89





	Hopeful Return

_**"How would you feel if I give you your copy in person?”** _

_**“I ‘d like that. Very much.”** _

“Guess he isn’t coming back, is he?” Tina talked to herself with the magazine clenched in her hands, letting out a sound that’s half sigh, half humorless chuckle. 

She screwed her eyes shut before the tears could tumble out.

She dropped the offending material on the dining table, glancing at the empty chair across her. Though her sister didn’t leave any clue of her whereabouts, Tina was willing to bet her Auror's badge that she was at Jacob’s, where she spent most her day off recently.

In the past few months of the No-Maj man regaining his memory —— she really wanted to question a certain magizoologist how that was even possible —— and being back to her sister’s life, all she felt was worried. Worried about what would happen if MACUSA found out, worried if her sister would be left heartbroken if the magic, figuratively speaking, wore out. Yet she had to admit that Queenie was so much happier, so she tried to be positive about it.

But today, after her heart getting shattered by a single piece of article, the thought of her sister was happily spending time with the man she wanted to be with, brought out a rare emotion in her.

Jealous.

_‘How dare she get to cozy up with her man when you just lost yours.’_ The monster with green eyes taunted her.

She killed it without a second thought. This just wasn’t like her. And it was her baby sister, for Morrigan’s sakes. All she had been doing after her parents’ death was making sure her sister was happy and healthy.

"And he's not mine to start with." She mumbled to herself.

Tina decided to take a walk to see if she could clear out all the ugly thoughts before Queenie got back. With the current state of her mind, she had no confidence to stop everything from slipping through her occlumency. The last thing she needed now was hurting her sister and starting a fight that might leave a scar between them forever.

Tina wandered around the neighborhood with no particular destination.

When she noticed where she ended up, she swore. Her subconscious just had to do the trick on her and led her to the magic bookstore she frequented.

And the owner, the kind and accommodating Mr. Wolinski, just happened to be outside and cleaning the storefront, which would appear like a small No-Maj grocery store until you entered the right way like every other wizardry property in the city. He spotted her and hailed at her eagerly.

“Oh, Tina! Tina my dear! It’s good timing you come!”

She cringed, knowing what awkward situation she was about to face. If she knew back then, maybe she wouldn’t bring Newt here and introduce him in his short stay after the incident. She just thought it’d help his book sale to aquatinted with one of the biggest wizardry booksellers in North America.

“Hello, Mr.Wolinski, how’s your day?” She forced herself to smile.

“Oh never been better! Because the books of your British fella just arrived! And people are already asking ‘bout it nonstop!”

"Ah, no, Mr. Wolinski, he is not——" She tried to correct the man, but he was already pulling her into the store.

“Come, come! I saved one for you before every one of them got snatched up!”

“Mr. Wolinski——“

“Here, my dear.” He practically shoved the book into her hand, leaving no chance for her to refuse.

All her resolve to give the book back crumbled when the feeling of holding the hardcovered book with breathtaking golden cover art started to imprint on her fingers.

This was his book. 

The book she witnessed him poured all his love into. 

And he used the title she blurted out at the dockside half year ago. She thought it was a good fit not only back then, but now as it proudly printed on his labor of love.

_**“I will look out for it, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.”** _

Oh, Mercy Lewis. He might not be able to keep his promise, whatever his reason was, but she wasn’t going to break hers.

No matter it was a promise made between friends or more.

She dug into her pocket only to find it empty as she never planned to buy anything when she came out earlier.

“Oh don’t worry, we can put you on the tab! You are one of my favorite customers after all! And thanks to your British, we will have a nice flow for a while no doubt! So I can even give you a discount, good?” Mr. Wolinski assured her when she explained her lack of money.

She only managed to thank him before he was needed by other customers and excused himself. She didn’t get to correct the man about Newt being her British. Again.

She sighed and walked out of the store with the book holding preciously in her arm.

Too many on her mind that she didn’t notice she walked straight into someone’s step.

“Ah! Sorry!”

“Oh, I‘m sorry!”

They apologized at the same time, and the familiar voice made her snapped her eyes up.

The man who was the very reason for her distraction stood right in front of her, eyes widened.

“Tina?”

“Newt? What are you doing here?” With all the emotion that had been building up since she read the magazine, her question came out more like an accusation.

She watched his line of sight landed on the book in her arms, and then his face turned from shock to desperate.

“I, I thought you would want me to give you the book in person.” He started to fidget in that way of his when he was stressed. “ And I was on the way to MACUSA to see if I could catch you there. I don't think Mrs. Esposito would be too pleased to see me at your flat.”

"Shouldn’t you stay in London preparing for the wedding?” Great, all she could talk about she went with that.

“The wedding?” He repeated her last words in great puzzlement she thought he was making fun of her in some way.

“Your own wedding, Mr. Scamander.”

"My what?"Was he really going to make her said it? She knew he was somewhat oblivious, but never thought he could be cruel.

“Your wedding with Leta!” She burst out, maybe a bit louder than she intended, causing him to take a step back startled.

“I am sorry, Tina, but you are sincerely confusing me,” He said, clearly intimidated by her outburst. “I’m not marrying Leta.”

“What? But the magazine——“ 

Oh for the love of Isolt, could she be that stupid?

“Tina? What magazine?”

She didn’t answer, thinking showing it to him would explain it better than words. So she took his arm, like when she tried to bring him in all those months ago, into the nearest alley where nobody was watching and apparated them straight back to her living room.

With relief that Queenie was still nowhere to be seen, Tina picked up the magazine she left on the table, handing it to Newt and muttered the page number of the articles she wanted to show him.

She only realizes he brought the case this time as well when she heard the sound it was placed on the floor. Oh well, it was going to be fun if Madam Picquery found out since she specifically warned him not to bring it into the State again. Only Merlin knew what he brought with him this time.

Her musing was interrupted by a series of mumblings that sounded like swearing.

“This article is stupidly wrong.” He said with exasperation, “You have to understand, Tina, it’s My brother, Theseus, is going to marry Leta. Not me.” He turned the magazine around and pointed at the other taller man in the picture who stood behind Leta.

She started to see it now after he pointed out, that Leta, while her hand was on Newt’s arm, was clearly standing closer to the other man; her back was practically leaning on his chest.

“Oh.”

“I don’t know how exactly that reporter could make this stupid mistake as I told him, with clear words, I am the best man, not the groom.”

Under normal circumstances, his bewilderment would amuse her, but now she just relieved that he was as upset as this whole situation and glad that he wasn’t engaged.

Something he said caught up in her mind.

“Wait, your brother? And you are going to be his best man? You are fine with that? ” She promised herself if Newt’s brother or Leta somehow forced him into this position then they were going to have some serious problem with her. She didn’t care if she had to go across the pond.

“Yes?” He frowned. “ Why wouldn’t I be fine?”

They really weren’t on the same page today.

“Um, because it’s Leta, that you and her ——“

It took a few seconds, but he finally caught up what she indicated and smiled awkwardly.

“A bit hilarious I might say. But I don’t find any reason to oppose this matter.” Newt shrugged. “My brother and Leta, they suit each other, I think, and I am happy for them.”

She knew he meant it because she heard no resentment. Some degree of sadness about a long lost friendship——maybe one day he would share what exactly happened between them all those years ago with her —— but no anger or hurt.

“Then I am glad.” She smiled for the first time on that day. “Please send my congratulations to them once you go back?”

“I will.” He gave her that crooked smile of his.

In the next few moments, in the complete silence, they just gazed at each other--he did shift his eyes away many times, but it always came back to her-- both wearing shy smiles on their faces.

“I- I recall this is why I am here.” He was the one who broke the silence and scrambled to pull a book bounded in dark blue leather and golden cover print out from his pocket.

She probably stared at the book for too long and sent out the wrong message because he nervously pulled it back.

“I’m sorry, Tina, I forget you have already purchased one so you probably don’t want this anymore.”

She quickly dropped the magazine and held on the book before he could take it back fully.

“No, Newt, I would love to have this one as well!” She added a smile for assurance. “It’s just so beautiful, making it hard not to stare.”

“Oh.” Newt blushed.

“Could you autograph it for me?” Tina asked as she caught a glimpse at the magazine on the floor, remembering the picture was taken at a book signing event, so she assumed it wouldn’t be too much to ask.

He shifted his stance and blushed even harder.

“Ah, if you don’t want to——“

“It was already signed.”

She looked at him——making him averted his eyes again ——a little surprised, and tentatively opened the book.

_“To Tina,_

_who I would love to help me find my creatures if they escape again._

_Newt.”_

She couldn’t help but laugh at the message he scribbled on the page.

Tina wondered how many people knew this playful side of this shy man.

She looked back up from the book and found him looking at her with a small smile.

“Let’s hope it won’t happen again, shall we?”

“I agree.” His smile widened.

“I will cherish it, Newt.” She said with the book holding tightly in her hands. Tina could already imagine herself reading it over and over again.

And then she remembered the other one book she bought earlier. She pulled it out from the pocket of her coats and hand it to him.

“Can you sign this one, too? Just your name would be fine.”

He nodded, took the book and sit down at the dining table.

She took advantage of the brief moments while he was occupied to pick up the magazine and prepare something to drink.

When she came back with two cups, tea for him and coffee for her, he had finished his small task and was frowning at his photo on the cover of Spellbound.

Her ears heated up with embarrassment. As a trained investigator, she shouldn't jump to the conclusion simply because a flimsy tabloid article said so. She seemed to lose all her judgment when it came to Newt Scamander.

"Newt," she started once she handed him the drink and settled beside him. "I want to apologize. For believed in that magazine so fast. I really should've asked you first."

"It's not your fault."

"But if you weren't here to explain, I would probably......" She didn't dare to think of the possibilities since none of them would end well.

To her surprise, he reached over and covered her hand with his. 

"Tina, I want you to know," he paused, and she could hear him swallowed nervously, "I need you to know that Leta isn't the one I want to marry." 

Tina gaped at him as she took in what he just said and what he didn't say. It should be too forward but at the same time, it brought longing into her heart. 

They weren't even dating; all they had was months worth of correspondence. But she'd be lying if she said she didn't want them to move toward something more. Every letter she received from him, every word she laid down onto the paper in return, all stacked up in her mind and formed a picture of them.

Would she be the one? She hoped the answer would come soon, but not now.

"I will keep that in mind." She said and turned the hand covered under his, so now they were palm to palm.

"Good." he grinned.


End file.
